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Saskatchewan’s cabinet minister responsible for lean, Don McMorris, stands by government’s use of the controversial management technique, saying it’s saved the province millions and will continue to do so. McMorris said after “listening to what the employees are having to say and what the management is having to say, once you see that and you see the savings and the cost avoidance, you would think this is almost a no-brainer.”

The first step in the NDP's effort to form government at the federal level has long been to unite progressive voters behind it as the main alternative to the Conservatives. And the party's recent lead in the polls serves as an indication that it's made significant progress on that front - though the Liberals figure to spend much of the summer trying desperately to grab the title back.

Opposition Leader Cam Broten is doing himself, his party and Saskatchewan residents no favours with his demand for an independent inquiry into how the provincial government has dealt with more than a hundred forest fires in Saskatchewan this year.

We should expect politicians to serve their own philosophy and those who support that philosophy — presumably, the largest percentage of the voters, if that politician happens to be a governing one. That is the essence of democracy, though politics quickly gets a little more complicated than that.

"Maybe we need to have equalization payments start flowing through a pipeline in order to finally get one approved through Central Canada. I do not think any province in Canada should be holding up approvals of a pipeline." - Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall

It is unclear who is responsible for Saskatchewan court documents that should have been sealed being released to media pundit Ezra Levant. The Court of Queen’s Bench in Regina released the records to Levant and Rebel Media last month.

Fires up north haven’t stopped provincial leaders from playing politics. In the midst of the ongoing calamity, Premier Brad Wall and leader of the Opposition NDP Cam Broten, have made sure the public knows they are involved.

REGINA — Saskatchewan manufacturing sales declined by 0.3 per cent to $1.19 billion in May, down slightly from $1.2 billion in April, but down more than 14 per cent from $1.39 billion in May 2014, Statistics Canada reported WednesdaySaskatchewan was one of four provinces to see a monthly decrease in manufacturing sales at 0.3 per cent, while the national total edged up by 0.1 per cent, the federal agency said. On a year-over-year basis, Saskatchewan manufacturing sales fell by 14.3 per cent, the largest annual drop of any province. Nationally, manufacturing sales of $49.9 billion in May were down 3.6 per cent from $51.8 billion in May 2014.

While Canada’s politicians fiddle about on the barbecue circuit, the country burns. By Monday afternoon, 5,041 wildland fires had scorched 3.02 million hectares, half the area of Nova Scotia, and 902 were still burning.

Saskatchewan had the lowest unemployment rate in Canada in June, creating 7,500 jobs in the past year. That 1.3-per-cent increase in the number of jobs was third highest among the provinces, behind first-place Manitoba and second-place Ontario.